I recently attended a dog show with my two daughters. From the time we entered the building, I began to see things that made me think of God's work in the believer's life. The first thing that we saw was the dogs being groomed for the show. I noticed a husband and wife team, in particular, laboring over a gigantic poodle. As I approached them I could see the man was sweating heavily and the woman looked exhausted. "It takes a while to get a poodle that big to look that good doesn't it?"I asked. The woman looked at me over the rims of her glasses and replied tiredly, "Eight hours." Her husband was more specific, "We've been working since six o'clock this morning and we worked quite a while yesterday and last night."

Suddenly, thoughts flashed through my mind. In the few minutes that I stood there watching them work on the poodle, I thought about what kind of people this man and woman were. They had to be dog lovers, and more specifically poodle lovers. Before they ever purchased it, they were intending to "show off" this dog. I know this because this was a show quality dog, not just a pet quality dog (as I came to learn the difference). Second, they also knew ahead of time how much money that it would take to purchase such an animal. One thousand dollars would not have bought this dog as a puppy. Third, being a show quality dog did not exempt it from requiring extensive grooming. Poodles require much grooming to be in a show. The larger the poodle, the more grooming necessary. Fourth, not only is the initial purchase of such an animal great, the expense continues on almost a daily basis of just providing proper care. After knowing all these reasons that might deter others from making such an investment of time and money, this man and woman still wanted this poodle!

If people could be this committed to caring for a dog, God could be just as committed to me! Often I have wondered, how God can put up with me? How could he not just walk away from our relationship when I fail him so much? It is because God is a dog lover too so to speak. We are just old dogs (Matthew 15:26). God has determined to have a people and a bride for his Son. God knew going in to our relationship what it would take to "sanctify [me] wholly". In fact, we read in Luke 14:28-30, For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Before God ever decided to redeem man he knew what it would cost. He knew the cost would be his only begotten Son. He also knew what it would take to sanctify man. In fact, we know that the effort would be beyond man's ability to keep himself by what the Lord prayed just before His crucifixion. John 17:15 reads, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." No matter how 'show quality' a dog is, turn him out on the street and see what happens. If he does survive life on the street, he will certainly not be ready for a dog show. Simply put, the dog cannot do for himself that which is required for being presentable in a show. Neither can I do for myself that which is required for saving my soul and sanctifying it to be presented with the Church to Christ as His bride.

As I watched the couple labor over that poodle, I thought, "Thank you God for knowing what it would take to present me as a part of the Bride of Christ. And thank you God for knowing that if I make it to the wedding it will be only by what you have invested in me."
 

- Brad Hill